SABMag 45 - Fall 2014

Issue number 45 | FALL 2014 | PM40024961 | $6

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Learning Centre Light footprint provides lessons in environmental stewardship

Farnham Garrison Kitchen and Dining Hall Thoughtful design raises user comfort

Westmount Recreation Centre Underground construction saves energy, creates green space

Advancing sustainable design Life cycle assessment gives long-term view

sabMag - FALL 2014

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YOUR IDEAS ARE AHEAD OF THE CURVE. OUR SOLUTIONS ARE AHEAD OF THE CODES.

Stay ahead of the curve, choose Owens Corning™, Canada’s No.1 insulation products and systems to achieve optimum energy efficiencies that meet or can exceed today’s building codes.

1-800-GET-PINK® or visit owenscorning.ca

70% Lower Global Warming Potential Than Previous Formulation

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sabMag - FALL 2014

THE PINK PANTHER™ & © 1964-2014 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. The colour PINK is a registered trademark of Owens Corning. © 2014 Owens Corning. All Rights Reserved.

73% recycled content is based on the average recycled glass content in all Owens Corning fiberglass batts, rolls and unbonded loosefill insulation manufactured in Canada.

SCS certified. GREENGUARD Children & Schools SM Mark is a registered certification mark used under license through the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. Owens Corning PINK™ insulation is GREENGUARD Certified for indoor air quality, except bonded loosefill products. This product has achieved GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification and is verified to be formaldehyde free.

Award Winner 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013

For more on the projects in this issue

Best issue bronze award 2013 International excellence in business-to-business publishing

www.sabmagazine.com Fall In this issue 2014

11

21

6 Industry News, Products and Events 13 Viewpoint - Grey Matter: Lessons from the ‘La Cuisine’ building, Winnipeg Folk Festival - A conversation with Tom Monteyne

17 Farnham Garrison Kitchen and Dining Hall Thoughtful design raises user comfort and well being

42

16 27

22 Westmount Recreation Centre Going underground to save energy and create green space

29 The Environmental Learning Centre

Light footprint provides lessons in environmental stewardship

35 CEU Article:

Advancing Sustainable Design Life cycle assessment gives long-term view

42 Low-energy building design The occupant factor

46 Interview with Jack Laken The power of themal mass

issuE DON’T MISS next WINTER 2014/15 Telus Spark Science Centre LEED Gold building educates on environment and technologies

Continuing Education article: Energy Modelling Energy modelling tools and their role in the design process

The Case for Tall Wood Arguments in favour of scaling up

Plus …

The SABMag 2015 Directory of Products and Services for Sustainable Building Cover: The Environmental Learning Centre. Photo: Michael Elkin. sabMag - FALL 2014

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From far and wide… we’re Connecting Canadians From coast to beautiful coast, Uponor works with partners to provide innovative, efficient and trusted solutions. Whether a hotel in Toronto, a government building in Montreal, or a Condominium in Vancouver, the Uponor PEX-a Plumbing System, featuring Uponor AquaPEX tubing and ProPEX expansion fittings, consistently provides cost and labour savings, without compromising quality.

At Uponor, we stand on guard for our partners. We work with you to find the right solution each and every time.

• Most trusted, tested and listed in the industry • ULC S102.2 plenum listing* • Shape memory — kink reparable • Full-service design and technical support • Engineer’s resource portal: CAD, Specs, BIM, LEED®

Get connected, change your business

* Please visit listing agency website for complete listing www.QAI.org 4

sabMag - FALL 2014

editor’s note

Dedicated to high-performance building

Member Canada Green Building Council

LEED EDUCATION PROVIDER

The Truth about Trees

SABMag is a proud member and media partner of the CaGBC, and works closely with them on content for each issue.

David Suzuki has long been an outspoken

VISIT www.sabmagazine.com

advocate for the idea that the ‘ecosystem

Publisher Don Griffith 800-520-6281, ext. 304, dgriffith@sabmagazine.com

services’ provided by natural environments

Editor Jim Taggart, FRAIC 604-874-0195, architext@telus.net

of their value. Suzuki has tended to focus

Editorial Assistant Katherine Berry

natural forests and wetlands. However a

Senior Account Manager Patricia Abbas 416-438-7609, pabbas8@gmail.com

recently published study out of Portland

Graphic Design Carine De Pauw 800-520-6281, ext. 308, cdepauw@sabmagazine.com

that the green spaces in our cities punch

should be factored into any assessment on the services delivered by large areas of

State University [PSU] in Oregon suggests photo: ROY GROGAN

well above their weight.

The research team worked with numerous

community volunteers, including many PSU and Washington State University

Published by

students, to place a web of 144 sensors across the greater Portland region.

www.janam.net 81 Leduc St.,Gatineau,Qc J8X 3A7 800-520-6281, ext.304, 819-778-5040 Fax: 819-595-8553

Subscription/address changes: info@sabmagazine.com, 800-520-6281, ext. 304

The scientists then examined neighbourhood-specific air quality data correlated with detailed maps of Portland’s tree canopy, creating a new way to project and compare what it’s like to breathe in different corners of the city.

Subscription prices Canada: [Taxes extra]

Then the researchers went a step further. They calculated the total amount

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of nitrogen dioxide - an air pollutant that contributes to asthma and other

ISSN 1911-4230

When the numbers were crunched, they concluded that the overall saving

Copyright by Janam Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or reproduced without written permission.

Views expressed are those of the authors exclusively.

for the region was $6.59 million per year in what would otherwise be lost

respiratory conditions -removed from the air by the city’s ‘urban forest’.

They then quantified the beneficial impact that this reduction would have on missed school and work days, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations.

productivity and health care costs.

The results of the study, which was titled ‘Trees in a City And the Air Quality

Publication Mail Agreement #40024961 Return undelivered Canadian address mail to: Janam Publications Inc., 81 Leduc St., Gatineau, Qc J8X 3A7

it Enjoys’ were published in the academic journal ‘Environmental Pollution’ and are the first to take the study of pollution effects to the neighbourhood level and to quantify the value of regional ecosystem services provided by urban trees.

The print version of SABMag uses Rolland Enviro 100 Satin, a 100% post-consumer fiber that is certified FSC and EcoLogo. It is processed chlorine-free, FSC-recycled and is manufactured using biogas energy.

Add to these findings those of another recent study which determined that the birth weight of babies born to urban mothers who live close to parks is on average 50 grams heavier than those born to mothers who don’t -and public health, city and parks board officials surely have pause for thought.

Jim Taggart, FRAIC Editor

Environmental savings for this issue:

54 Trees

197,767 litres water

2,996 kg waste

7,787 kg CO2 sabMag - FALL 2014

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Architects can help the industry meet the 2030 Challenge - By Pierre Gallant, FRAIC Architecture Canada | RAIC Report

buildings

gy consumption targets and

built in Canada designed by

encourages building owners to

architects, including commer-

adopt them. It sees the cre-

cial,

institutional

ation of low energy-consuming

Building projects start with an

and residential, typically con-

buildings and infrastructure as

Every profession sees itself

owner who works with the archi-

sume twice the energy of simi-

a design issue.

as a leader. Architecture is no

tect to translate the dream or

lar buildings in Europe. While

Clearly, architects and engi-

exception. The realization of a

need into an eventual reality.

such a comment is simplistic,

neers have a key role in imple-

it underlines the progress our

menting the solutions to achieve

society needs to achieve.

carbon neutrality for buildings.

Pierre Gallant

industrial,

building requires a formidable

To turn dreams into realities

team, and each member of the

requires the architect typically

team is in a position of leader-

to consider sociological, cul-

As part of its mission to

Other members of the team

ship during some of the phases

tural, environmental, economic

promote responsible architec-

need to feel the same obligation.

of the project. For example:

and regulatory factors. Society

ture and to equip members

Many architects have made

at the programming stage, the

now expects that the architect

with sustainable design knowl-

sustainability a core philosophy

owner is in the lead; during the

will also consider sustainability.

edge, the Royal Architectural

of their practice. Those archi-

buildings

Institute of Canada is among

tects are the early-adopters

can be argued that the munici-

consume up to 40 percent

other Canadian organizations

and specialists that spearhead

pality’s planning personnel is

of all energy. Currently, this

who have endorsed the 2030

change.

in the lead; during the design

relies heavily on fossil fuels. Of

Challenge,

www.architec-

The architectural profession

stage, the architect leads; dur-

course, single-family residen-

ture2030.org. The internation-

has an opportunity to build

ing construction, the builder

tial construction, usually con-

al movement was started by

[pardon the pun] on its early-

leads. Equally important are the

structed without architects, is

American architect Ed Mazria,

adopters to help owners, the

contributions of the specialist

a large portion of all buildings

Hon. FRAIC. It proposes that all

construction industry and soci-

consultants [usually our engi-

and consumes a very signifi-

new buildings will use no fossil

ety-at-large to meet the RAIC

neering colleagues], the trades,

cant amount of that 40 percent

fuels and emit no greenhouse

2030 Challenge: carbon neu-

the suppliers, and many more.

of energy.

gases by 2030.

trality for buildings.

development permit stage, it

We

know

that

ADS IN THIS ISSUE 2 Owens Corning 4 Uponor 6 Sustainable Forestry

Initiative 9 Toronto Green Building Festival 16 Interface 25 Hydrotech/ Eco Insulating Glass 28 Forest Industry Investment

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The Challenge sets enerNevertheless,

34 GE Lighting 37 Inline Fibreglass 39 Morrison Hershfield/CaGBC Toronto 41 IIdex Canada 47 Canadian Precast

Prestressed Concrete Institute 48 Forbo Flooring

Our mistake Not all of the contributors to the award-winning projects published in our special Summer issue on the Canadian Green Building Awards were correctly identified. SABMag apologizes for this oversight and sets the record straight as follows:

uVanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre – Glazing was provided by Columbia Glazing Systems

going to greenbuild?

uCanMet Materials Technology Laboratory – The Landscape Architect was GSP Group Inc.

October 22 and 23, New Orleans â visit the SABMAG Booth #838

uOne Planet Reno - The project manager was BuildGreen Solutions. The architects were Carolyn Jones, Tobias Fellows, Daniel Pearl, and Simon Jones.

sabMag - FALL 2014

news CPCI offers educational plant tours The Canadian Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute [CPCI] in conjunction with its members across Canada invites SABMag readers to join students and members of the building community for a plant tour.

Plants are open from 10am to 3pm, September 29 - October 3. Select a plant near you and a date at: www.cpci.ca/en/resources/npd/ • Learn through precast concrete CPCI Life Cycle Assessment how energy efficiency, recyclability, reusability, along with minimal waste in the precast plant and on the jobsite are keys to meeting today's environmental standards.

• See how precast is manufactured under rigorous quality control.

• Learn about the many benefits of building with Precast Concrete.

• Literature and design guides will be available after the tour.

New Building Envelope Thermal Bridging Guide now public Engineering firm Morrison Hershfield has announced that the Building Envelope Thermal Bridging Guide – Analysis, Applications, and Insights is now public and can be downloaded from BC Hydro [www.bchydro. com/construction]. The guide

aims to overcome obstacles confronting industry with respect to mitigating thermal bridging to reduce energy consumption in buildings.

The Guide was developed

by Morrison Hershfield in collaboration with co-sponsors and industry partners to mitigate the energy waste of thermal bridging. The Guide addresses a number of obstacles currently confronting our industry by: 1. Cataloguing the thermal performance of common building envelope assemblies and interface details.

2. Providing data-driven guidance that will make it easier for the industry to comprehensively consider thermal bridging in building codes and bylaws, design and whole building energy simulations.

3. Examining the costs associated with improving the thermal performance of opaque building envelope assemblies and interface details, and forecasting the energy impact for several building types and climates.

4. Evaluating the cost effectiveness of improving the building envelope through more thermally-efficient assemblies, interface details and varying insulation levels.

The Guide, which is broken into three main sections for ease of use, contains information for technical committees for energy

standards, regulators, utilities, architects, mechanical designers, building envelope consultants, energy modellers, developers, manufacturers and trade organizations. The Building Envelope Thermal Analysis [BETA] Guide outlines how to effectively account for thermal bridging and is backed up by an extensive catalogue of thermal performance data. Info: propel@morrisonhershfield.com

U.S. Building Industry groups streamline green building tool development ASHRAE, the International Code Council [ICC], the American Institute of Architects [AIA], the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America [IES] and the U.S. Green Building Council [USGBC] have signed a memorandum to collaborate on the development of Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code [IgCC] and the LEED green building program.

The unprecedented cooperation aims to create a comprehensive framework for jurisdictions looking to implement and adopt green building regulations and codes and/or provide incentives for voluntary leadership programs such as LEED.

The agreement outlines the development, maintenance and implementation of new versions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and the IgCC, which will be combined into one regulatory tool. This agreement also endeavours to align the LEED program with the new code to ensure a streamlined, effective set of regulatory and above-code options.

Updated Green Globes® Sustainable Interiors Certification Program an alternative to LEED ECD Energy and Environment Canada have released an upgrade to the Green Globes® for Fitups program, now renamed Sustainable Interiors [SI], as an alternative to the LEED rating system commercial and institutional building interiors. Green Globes is a web-based program that offers guidance on integrated design and provides certification in two stages: at the Design stage and Post Construction.

Choose SFI There’s a simple way you can ensure healthy forests for generations to come while supporting the people and communities in North America who depend on them.

Choose the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Standard.

It’s a symbol of responsible forestry.

Learn more at sfiprogram.org

bout care a u o y ays .

This s forests r u o f ture o the fu sabMag - FALL 2014

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CONCRETE BUILDINGS ARE MODELS OF SUSTAINABILITY Energy efďŹ cient, resilient, durable and versatile, concrete plays an essential role in building safer, more sustainable communities.

Learn more at rediscoverconcrete.ca

8

sabMag - FALL 2014

news

In Canada, Green Globes SI is now largely based on a Canadian adaptation of the ANSI standard.

The standard was developed in the US using an ANSI-approved consensus process involving stakeholders from across the sustainable building industry.

Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors can be pursued by both building owners and individual lessees of commercial spaces. When pursuing Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors certification, tenants can focus on both designing new and/or improving their interior space to Green Globes standards without the need to certify an entire building. This lets tenants certify the specific environmental and sustainability attributes of the space they lease without including other aspects of the building over which they have no control.

Certification is in two stages.

At the completion of the design phase of the project, a Green Globes Design rating Certification is issued. Following the project’s construction, the assessor revaluates the project and issues a Post-construction Certificate. A project is awarded one to five Green Globes according to the points earned in the certification process. www. greenglobes.com

New fees announced for LEED certification and registration The Canadian green building market is expected to grow rapidly over the next three years.

In order to meet this increased demand for new products and services, and continue to improve the certification process, as well as support changes to the LEED program in Canada, the CaGBC is adjusting registration and certification fees.

As a not-for-profit national organization, the CaGBC provides programs, products and services by recovering costs through service fees, industry sponsorship, and the support of hundreds of professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to advance green building in Canada.

Service fee adjustments are periodically required to support the continued development and improvements necessary to meet the growing demand for LEED in Canada. Some of the recent initiatives undertaken to maintain and improve the LEED program include: • Development of LEED v4 Alternative Compliance Paths, Regional Priority Credits, and other tools, guidance and education; • Development and maintenance of various tools including the LEED Canada for EB:O&M Recertification Guidance, LEED Canada EB:O&M Reference Guide Addenda, and the Application Guide for Multiple Building Projects in LEED Canada EB:O&M; and • Increased engagement with key stakeholders across the country, including the development of master accounts and enhanced communications to better service and support owners of large portfolios of LEED projects.

These fees will support improvements to the current LEED program as well as the implementation of LEED v4 in Canada. In addition, new products and services are being introduced in the coming months, such as partial internalization of the LEED review work within the CaGBC to enhance the quality and speed of certification; automated re-submittal reminders for LEED consultants; an option for projects to undergo expedited reviews; and an evaluation of options to facilitate volume certification of EB:O&M projects.

ResilienCity: the new urban paradigm THURSDAY OCTOBER 2 2014 DANIELS SPECTRUM, Toronto Only $149 for a full day of programming featuring ■ 16+ expert speakers ■ lunch and networking reception ■ Regent Park walking tour ■ affordable CEU’s for CBGI, OAA and OALA

Designing smarter Planning more sustainably Building better Implementing green solutions Creating robust & resilient communities Sponsors:

Partners:

For information & to register: www.sbcanada.org/gbfestival @SustBldgCan SustBldgCan Sustainable-Buildings-Canada

sabMag - FALL 2014

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news CSA Group and CaGBC form alliance to support sustainable building product practices CSA Group, a leading global provider of standards development and testing and certification services, and the Canada Green Building Council, have formed an alliance to support LEED® v4 and CSA Group’s Environmental Product Declaration [EPD] program.

“LEED v4 incorporates a greater emphasis on building performance and material transparency for more building types than ever before. CSA Group is a natural partner to provide assessment, training and technical services to increase the understanding and adoption of green building product choices in Canada,” said Thomas Mueller, CaGBC President and CEO.

Environmental Product Declarations [EPD] are an important part of the life cycle assessment of a building. When a company is constructing a building, EPDs provide a standard way to measure the environmental impact of a product or system.

EPDs can start with raw materials and continue all the way through to the end product, measuring overall energy use and efficiency, the materials that were used to make the product, chemical substances, emissions and waste generation. For the final occupants of a building, whether it is an office or a home, EPDs are like the nutrition label on a food box; they help give a full picture of how green a building is, from beginning to end. EPDs play an important role in LEED v4, and understanding and adopting this practice will help ensure more sustainable building practices now and into the future.

NSF International develops flat glass Product Category Rule [PCR] NSF International, an independent global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the commercial furnishing, construction, food, water and consumer goods industries, in collaboration with the Glass Association of North America’s [GANA] Flat Glass Manufacturing Division, has developed a product category rule [PCR] for flat and float glass.

Flat glass, for purposes of the PCR, includes sheet glass, plate glass, rolled glass and float glass and is used in a wide range of architectural, auto and decorative applications including automotive windshields, curtain walls, windows, doors and glass panels in furniture. The PCR [UN CPC

3711] provides both a sciencebased and internationally recognized method for reporting the environmental impact of glass products and materials throughout their life cycle.

Product category rules define how to conduct a life cycle assessment [LCA] for a product group and what data to include in the resulting environmental product declaration [EPD], the third-party-verified report that explains the data generated from an LCA. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED v4 recognizes the value of PCRs/EPDs and includes credit language that recognizes EPDs.

Survey gives basics for successful Tall Wood Buildings

Life Cycle Tower LCT 1, Austria.

[Courtesy Perkins+Will].

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sabMag - FALL 2014

In the fall of 2013, British Columbia Forestry Innovation Investment [BCFII] commissioned Perkins+Will to conduct a survey of completed Tall Wood buildings from around the world. By interviewing a variety of stakeholders involved in each of eight projects, the goal was to find out what contributed to the success of the project; what impediments it had to overcome, and what lessons had been learned. The hope is that this information will help potential early adopters in North America to better understand the challenges and mitigate risk.

The common lessons learned and specific project considerations included: Commitment: All stakeholders agreed that committing to a timber solution at the start of the project is imperative.

Planning: All stakeholders indicated the importance of pre-planning and investing significant effort early in the design development process in order to identify and resolve design and construction-related issues and conflicts.

Collaboration: All stakeholders groups had strong collaborative ties with each other, researchers and timber fabricators, as well as early engagements with the proper authorities.

Holistic Innovation: Most stakeholders emphasized the need to approach mass timber/tall wood projects as wholly innovative, rather than with a focus on only an application, a component or a system that is related to wood.

Further information is available in a summary report that can be downloaded at http://www.bcfii.ca/summary-uploads/Tall-Wood-BuildingsSurvey_Backgrounder.pdf

PRODUCTS New Human Nature™ collection from Interface based on our connection with nature

ate designs ranging from chevron, herringbone, and checkerboard patterns to modern mosaics.

term damage often associated with high-impact work spaces.

It also offers stain resistance, along with underfoot comfort and sound-reducing properties that contribute to a comfortable, quiet environment. www. nora.com

GE and the City of Calgary embark on street light modernization

Interface’s new Human Nature™ carpet tile collection takes its cues from the textures found in the most elemental of floor coverings – forest floors, grassy fields and pebbled garden paths. Made with 100% recycled content nylon yarn, it will be manufactured on four continents in six Interface factories that are, on average, 39% more energy efficient, receive 35% of their energy from renewable sources, and consume 83% less water than when the company began to rethink its impact on the environment two decades ago.

Human Nature features five 25cm x 1m skinny plank carpet tile patterns which flow fluidly from one tile to the next, and pair with 50cm and 1m square carpet tiles. www.interface.com

Forbo introduces new direction in natural, sustainable flooring Forbo Flooring Systems has introduced Marmoleum Modular comprised of 44 colours and available in 10”x10”, 20”x20” and 10”x20” rectangular sizes to cre-

Marmoleum Modular is currently the only floor tile that is USDA Bio-Preferred Certified 100% biobased, and has antimicrobial and antistatic properties that improve indoor air quality and resist bacteria growth.

Its water-based Topshield 2 finish provides occupancy-ready installation and exceptional performance against soiling and scuffing. It has a system service life of 30 years. www.forboflooringNA.com.

norament® xp trac meets stringent requirements of cGMP facilities

nora systems, Inc., manufacturer of commercial rubber flooring, has introduced norament® xp trac. The increased density of the floor combines with impact resistance to prevent chipping and helps the floor stand up to heavy rolling loads, eliminating travel path wear and other long-

The City of Calgary’s Department of Transportation has selected GE Lighting to replace and upgrade existing street light fixtures with GE Evolve™ LED technology. Calgary hopes to eventually retrofit approximately 80,000 street lights with fixtures that consume 55% less electricity and offer a lifespan of over a decade. GE’s technology, set to replace existing High Pressure Sodium fixtures, is also designed to reduce maintenance requirements and costs, while reducing the up-lighting to zero. If the full conversion moves forward, Calgary would become the largest city in Canada to have LED lighting for the entirety of its street illumination. www.gelighting.com

Furniture line designed to improve work efficiency Allsteel Inc.’s new furniture line, Further, provides surfaces, supports, screens and storage that can be configured, and

reconfigured, to form a wide variety of work environments that bring teams together and make the most of a footprint.

The innovative Power Hub, the structural support for the system that can also double as a standalone power and data terminal, increases flexibility by allowing individual, focused workstations to collaborative areas, each connecting people to power and data. www.allsteeloffice.com

CGC Introduces Industry's first lightweight water and mouldresistant gypsum panel

CGC Inc., has introduced CGC Sheetrock® Brand UltraLight Panel Mold Tough® which is 20% lighter than traditional water and mould-resistant panels. Encased in 100% recycled water and mould-resistant papers, the panel has tapered long edges allowing joints to be better concealed.

Intended for areas where water and mould resistance is desired, and as a tile substrate in dry locations or areas with limited water exposure. www.usg.com

by product category Find what you need! u Listings organized and by LEED category and

Canadian Directory OF Sustainable PRODUCTS SERVICES

WWW.sabmagazine.com/product-directory.html sabMag - FALL 2014

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PRODUCTS J+J Flooring Group Releases Counterbalance

to 95. It is made with more than 50% post-consumer content and is the only flooring that can be recycled back into itself. Kinetex is certified to NSF 140 Platinum and meets the Carpet & Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus for low indoor air emissions. www.jj-kinetex.com

Icynene upgrades its foam insulation

RAIN WATER HARVESTING STRATEGIES

5

3 3

7

2

2 1

5 8 5

4

3

6

9

Buildings section

The Counterbalance Collection includes modules with patterns, colours and accents that define and separate spaces, and create wayfinding. The Collection creates a soft textile look in interiors requiring the durability of hard surface flooring. Appropriate for high traffic areas, it has a Texture Appearance Retention Rating [TARR] of 4.5, offers minimal resistance to rolling traffic and resists stains including blood, urine, betadine, hand sanitizers, oily foods, condiments, paint, red wine and copier toners. Kinetex also provides better acoustics, comfort, cleanliness and slip-andfall resistance than traditional hard surface flooring. Its high moisture transmission allows installation on slabs with RH up

1 2 3 4 5

Patio Solar window Path to 10th [see bottom photo of p. 24]

9

Cistern

6 4

drain to eavetroughs The simple shed roofs of both houses harvesting basin. which direct water to a rainwater

Rainwater harvesting plan 1 2 3 4

5 6

Canadian spray foam insulation manufacturer, Icynene, has unveiled Icynene Classic Plus™ – designed to help meet the stringent Canadian building code requirements. The 11.2kg/ m3 [0.7lb/ft3] open-cell spray foam insulation product offers one of the best thermal resistance values in the market, at 0.72 [m2•K]/W at 25.4 mm, or an R-Value of R4 per inch.

The CCMC Report for Icynene Classic Plus™, CCMC #13864-R, can be downloaded from the CCMC website www.nrc-cnrc. gc.ca/eng/index.html or from the Icynene website www. icynene.com.

Lane way House roof plan Main house roof plan Skylights Rainwater harvesting basins concrete open basin - 6” dia. river washed stones over inlet - slope basin to free drain into drain - no standing water 2” over run, drains into Eavetrough open at low end, slope to storm sewer harvesting basin which connects 4.5” over run, drains into Eavetrough open at low end, slope to storm sewer harvesting basin which connects

out to build a smaller house.

From the onset the owners set downsizing from a larger Both work from home. They were wanted a house that was house with the kids moving out. They room for a home office and modern and urban looking with to have a connection and site studio space. These spaces had can work separately but still lines between them so that they maintain contact. spacious and large enough They wanted the main floor to be open, They wanted the food prep to accommodate family gatherings. socializing with guests. The located such that it would facilitate and kept to a minimum with private spaces needed to be modest when vacant. a guest room that could be repurposed home to maximize the They also wished to build a laneway floorplan was designed density of the site. A simple, yet elegant to achieve their goals. as sustainable as possible In order to make the home and site front, side and courtthe utilize to crafted were outdoor spaces Plants were selected yard areas for movement and socializing. in water-smart perennials from two nurseries, one specializing other in native plants. and ornamental grasses, and the

24

4” dia. potable pipe run to buried cistern tank 3x3 galvalume trough 8x8 wood posts beyond

non slip finish

Rainwater harvesting basin

four 1/2” rebar where walls are greater than 10” in width otherwise only 2 bars Entry from the street to the laneway two houses.

house, the smaller of the

The rainwater harvesting basin. See location and construction.

drawings this page for SABHOMES | WINTER 2013

SABHOMES | WINTER 2013

SUBSCRIBE! ecoHouse Canada, the sister magazine of SABMag, is the newest and most authoritative source of information on Canadian highperformance housing.

Published four times per year, ecoHouse Canada is a showcase of the best in Canadian residential design, products and technologies.

• September 29 - October 3 Building a Sustainable Future: CPCI Plant Tours, www.cpci.ca/ en/resources/npd/ • October 2, Toronto Green Building Festival, www.sbcanada.org

• October 16, Toronto CaGBC - Greater Toronto Chapter Gala, www.cagbctoronto.org

• November 13-14, Saskatoon Building Saskatchewan Green Conference, buildsaskgreen.ca

• October 20 -25, New Orleans - Greenbuild, www.greenbuildexpo.com

sabMag - FALL 2014

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6 7 8

SMALL AND EFFICIENT

events

12

Loft Bathroom Kitchen Laneway Courtyard

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Schematic arrangement of salvaged steel sections.

View of the completed building at night.

Grey Matter: Lessons from the ‘La Cuisine’ building, Winnipeg Folk Festival Final section using site modified components

SABMag: Your firm’s ‘La Cuisine’ building for the Winnipeg

VIEWPOINT ARTICLE

Folk Festival has attracted a lot of attention for such a mod-

A conversation with Tom Monteyne

SABMag: What was your rationale for using reclaimed materials and what materials did you use?

est project. Can you explain a little about the background and context?

TM: The Winnipeg Folk Festival has a general policy of minimizing

waste, and promoting environmentally responsible construction. They

TM: I would agree that our La Cuisine Building is unassum-

were interested in a facility that would have the minimum possible eco-

ing but I would not call it modest – it is actually more than

logical footprint, and that could even be disassembled and removed if

7,000 square feet in size under the roof. The Winnipeg Folk

required. We also wanted this first permanent building for the festival

Festival was started in 1974. Over 40 years it has become one

to be embraced by the community and to fit in with the inclusive and

of North America’s premier outdoor folk music events and

improvisational spirit of the place, and so we set out to make the build-

draws artists from around the world. The festival takes place

ing as tent-like as possible.

in a provincial park 30km north of the city and attracts more than 60,000 visitors over five days in early July.

The canted ceiling of the kitchen encourages passive ventilation of the space, eliminating the need for mechanical equipment, and the building

This means that the festival facilities experience a short

is not insulated. We figured out early that the main contributor to the

but intense period of active use before going into ‘hiberna-

ecological footprint would be the building materials themselves. This

tion’ until the following summer. Since the beginning of the

seemed like an ideal opportunity to explore ideas about the re-use of

festival, a temporary kitchen housed in a tent was used to

materials that we had been developing as a practice.

prepare meals for the performers and volunteers who run the

La Cuisine reclaims and adapts the primary structural components of

festival. Eventually, the volume of food required as the festival

an obsolete pre-engineered steel building, including the main structural

has expanded, along with stricter provincial health standards,

members [columns, beams, and frames], secondary structural compo-

made a permanent kitchen facility a necessity. They asked us

nents [purlins and girts], and roof cladding. The columns that line the

to design an inexpensive building that would house the cook-

front porch were formally cedar hydro poles used on electrical transmis-

ing and serving of thousands of meals a day, but that could

sion lines.

also be used to hang tents for drying during a wet year, as well as being a secure storage facility in the off-season. Although it was not specifically asked for, the building also has a grand front porch that functions as a gathering place.

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Structural and non-structural components were salvaged from an obsolete pre-engineered industrial building.

The site for the building is outside of Winnipeg in a Provincial Park, and here we had the room to lay out all the salvaged steel components on the grass. Modifications were made by lifting the components onto the contractor’s steel staging, and cutting and re-attaching them to the required dimensions with torches. Some of the steel frame components were turned through 90 degrees, with beams becoming columns and vice versa in order to meet the new shape, span, and load requirements.

SABMag: What benefits did you realize through the use of reclaimed materials?

TM: Construction proved to be very economical as the salvaged materials were available at a low cost. I would estimate that the cost of construction was approximately half that of a building that incorporated entirely new materials. Functionally, the long spans we were able construction photo of steel frames at rear of building.

to create fulfilled the client’s program requirements both for kitchen operations and storage. Also, a higher percentage of the cost of the building went to local labour and a lesser percentage to the purchase of materials. This translates into a greater benefit to the local economy than building new with materials that come from somewhere else.

WArchitecturally, the unique character of the building results from

VIEWPOINT ARTICLE

SABMag: What problems did you encounter in using reclaimed materials, and how did you overcome them?

the improvised use of found materials, something that fit well with the laid back and improvised qualities of the festival. The fact that the various components came to us in different colours, which were left

TM: What might have been problems in sourcing materi-

unpainted, lends an informal quality to the building that helps it fit the

als became opportunities on this project, partly through

context. Four years later, we can say that the La Cuisine building has

good fortune and partly through the flexibility and com-

been thoroughly embraced by the users, in part because it appears to

mitment of those involved. We had a concept design, with

have always been there.

a model and a good idea of how to solve the functional requirements. Then we set about figuring out as a team how best to build the structure.

SABMag: Based on your experience with this building, do you think that the re-use of materials is scalable or generalizable?

Gerry Humphries, our construction manager on the project was well connected to the reused building mate-

TM: The re-use of construction materials is certainly scalable as there

rial market, and a building that seemed to fit the needs of

are many disused buildings around that are similar to the one we har-

this project was being dismantled at just the right time. We

vested. But I would say that using found materials in this way is not cur-

were able to see the structure while it was still standing,

rently generalizable. At present, this level of material reuse suits unique

measure it, and determine that it could work. Jon Reid,

projects where the conditions are favourable, and in which willing

our structural engineer, courageously agreed to work with

clients, consultants, and building authorities are involved. It is definitely

the material, and the authorities did not excessively scru-

not yet a “mainstream” type of process.

tinize the project. Doing a project with large scale reuse of structural components required the team to be able to improvise, and to deal with uncertainty well into the design and approval process.

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The reclaimed metal roof panels evoke the colourful tents that are integral to the atmosphere of the festival.

VIEWPOINT ARTICLE

SABMag: Where do you think we go from here?

TM: The building is going to be part of an exhibit in Paris this fall that focuses on what the French call ‘energie grise’ [grey energy], which refers to the energy that can be found and extracted from so-called waste materials. In a similar way, we like to think of ‘grey matter’ as that material we can reclaim and re-use in order to extend its service life. To us, this is an increasingly important aspect of sustainable design practice.

At present, the reliable supply of reclaimed materials is the weakest link in the chain, but the potential of re-use could be better realized with changes to the traditional design process and closer cooperation between designers and authorities having jurisdiction. As architects we can contribute to the future reuse of materials by designing structures that can be disassembled, and support the development of a stronger architectural salvage industry by creatively reusing reclaimed materials wherever possible.  Tom Monteigne is a partner with Syverson Monteyne Architecture in Winnipeg.

The front porch acts as an informal gathering area.

The cedar columns are reclaimed utility poles.

sabMag - FALL 2014

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Large and small squares, planks and skinny planks.

human nature

™

a collection of skinny planks

NATURE’S SELECTION

Finding the space to thrive.

Every ecosystem has a new cast of species found in nature with lessons to teach its students of design. At Interface, we seek out the connections that exist in our world’s living systems to bring environmental responsibility into spaces of every size. It’s harmonious innovation.

The Human Nature™ Collection by Interface®.

A Foundation for Beautiful Thinking. interface.com/human-nature 16

sabMag - FALL 2014

Farnham Garrison Kitchen and Dining Hall 1

Thoughtful design raises user comfort and well-being

The new 2,075 m2 single-storey building houses kitchen and dining facilities for the Department of National Defence at the Farnham Garrison in Farnham, Quebec. The dining hall is designed to accommodate 300 seats, and the kitchen has a capacity of 600 meals [two services] per hour. To facilitate wayfinding, functional spaces are differentiated by material, shape and/or colour. Practically all spaces feature natural daylight and direct views to the outside.

By Marc Bertrand Dining room Kitchen

Floor plan

Staff The dining area has a seating capacity of 300 and offers views to the surrounding landscape through generous curtain wall glazing [1].

Service area Circulation

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Materials are all robust and durable, providing a building

While the flow of circulation has determined the overall layout, daylight-

designed for a minimum 40-year life. Although simple and

ing access and control have generated the building’s main architectural

straightforward, the design creates a very pleasant dining space

features. The northwest service façade, which faces dominant winds and

with generous glazing and a sculptural ceiling of parallel strand

the low-setting summer sun, is generally opaque.

Recessed glazing in the northeast and southwest façades provide light

lumber [PSL] trusses.

The building’s shape and orientation were largely determined

into the offices, kitchen and service areas, and large expanses of curtain wall

by the functional need for free-flowing circulation and the desire

on the southeast and northeast allow morning light to flood the dining hall.

Roof overhangs, careful selection of glazing types and trees planted

to maximize daylight.

The layout consists of two adjacent loops of circulation: one of food and the other of people. The two loops meet in the servery, where prepared meals are picked up by diners before they

along the southeast facade limit glare and solar gain, while maximizing views and natural light in the entrance hall and dining area.

Large window bays in recessed portions of the northeast and southwest facades, as well as north-facing clerestorey windows, bring generous

head to the seating area.

On the service side of the building, food flows from west

amounts of indirect light into the food preparation and service areas. In the

to east from the service entrance to the cold rooms and stor-

washrooms, high strip windows with light shelves demonstrate a simple and

age areas and then to the preparation and service area. Food

efficient way of spreading natural light deep into a building.

waste from the preparation and dishwashing areas is collected

Air quality is maintained with CO2 sensors, negative air pressure [for the

via underfloor piping and sent to a pulper in a designated cold

evacuation of air pollutants], and by the careful selection of formaldehyde-

room, where solid organic waste is separated and later collected

free adhesives, low-VOC paints, sealants, composite wood panels, water-

for recycling. Meanwhile, clients circulate in a closed loop on the

proofing and flooring products.

public side from the main entrance to the service area and into the mess hall, and back towards the exit.

Ozone: builging systems reduce ozone degradation through reduction of CFCs Interior environment: a negative pressure polluant evacuation system maintains interior air quality. Interior laminates do not contain formaldehyde binding agents, and low VOC products for paint, sealants, composite wood products, waterproofing agents and 25% of flooring products.

Energy management: high-efficiency lighting systems have been implemented, allowing high-quality interior light while conserving energy. they are controlled by an automated system to cut down on energy waste.

Heat recovery system: a network of thermal heat pumps coupled to the water loop recovers waste heat from the refrigeration system compressors to heat the building during winter.

Material and resources: of the selected materials, 53.7% are regional materials, and 31.6% contain recycled content.

Axonometric view

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Water efficiency: use of low-flush toilets, infrared motion detector faucets, and waterless urinals contribute to achieve a 40% reduction of building water use.

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Project Credits

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Client Department of National Defence Architects FABRIQ + A2000, architects in joint venture Structural Engineer SBSA Mechanical + Electrical Engineer Blondin Fortin Civil Engineer Groupe Forces Cost Consultant LCO LEED Consultant Lyse Tremblay ecoArchitecture inc.

Project Manager Defense Construction Canada General Contractor Construction Bugère Commissioning Agent EXP Photos Marc Cramer materials - Steel, concrete, parallel strand lumber [PSL] trusses, curtain walls with insulated glazing.

- Roxul Plus and Roxul AFB insulation, and Foamular foam insulation by Owens Corning.

- Cladding is brick, metal and torrefied yellow poplar.

- Reflective roof membrane.

- Formaldehyde-free adhesives, low-VOC paints, sealants, composite wood panels, waterproofing. Flooring is Marmoleum by Forbo, and polished and sealed concrete.

- Thermal heat pumps, coupled to a water loop, recover waste heat from the cold room compressors which is used to heat the building.

The building is a freestanding pavilion whose organization and elevational treatment respond to passive design principles [2]. Trees planted along the southeast facade will provide summer shade, limiting glare and solar heat gain [3]. The kitchen is designed for efficiency, with storage preparation and serving areas forming a self contained loop with no cross circulation [4].

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5 Project Performance - Energy intensity [building and process energy] = 565MJ/m2/year - Energy intensity reduction relative to reference building under MNECB = 25% - Annual electrical energy consumption = 220kWh/m2 [Note: 11.8% of annual energy requirement comes from renewable sources] - Potable water consumption from municipal sources = 365L/m2/year [Note: given transient nature of use, consumption in L/occupant would not provide a meaningful figure] - Potable water reduction relative to reference building = 20% - Construction materials diverted from landfill = 75% - Reclaimed and recycled materials by value = 15% - Regional materials [800km radius] by value =20% [Note: 50% of wood used is FSC certified, remanider is SFI certified]

Air space 10mm sprayed insulation

Moreover, the client has committed to the use of ‘Green Seal’ labelled products for all interior building maintenance in an effort to reduce the use of chemicals that could otherwise be harmful to the health of building occupants.

Solar energy is collected via dark perforated metal panels [Solarwall]

Adhesive membrane through wall flashing 50mm rigid insulation

on the southeast and southwest facades of the mechanical penthouse. The resulting hot air, which is redistributed inside the building, accounts for 5% of building heating requirements.

Window glazing is oriented to maximize passive solar energy, and is lined with low-emissivity film in order to increase thermal stability.

The building features a heat recovery system: a network of thermal heat pumps, coupled to a water loop, allows the recovery of waste heat from the cold room compressors. This recovered energy is in turn used to heat the building during winter. Further energy efficiency is achieved by the selection of EnergyStar appliances, totaling 70% of the kitchen equipment.

Vapour barrier 25.4mm rigid insulation

All construction materials and finishes were meticulously selected, with priority given to recycled, local and sustainably-forested materials. All materials in the project were selected for a maximum service life, both for life cycle cost considerations and in response to the cli-

50mm rigid insulation

ent requirement for a minimum 40-year life span. The wood structure, which constitutes the mess hall portion of the building, is designed to be easily dismantled at the end of its service life.

The building has exceeded the client’s technical requirements by achieving LEED Gold - a first for the Department of National Defence.

In addition, by providing beauty, light and interesting spatial qualities, we believe it has increased the level of user comfort and well-being. 

Foundation at exterior wall detail

Marc Bertrand, OAQ, MRAIC, is Project Manager for FABRIQ architecture.

The clean and simple lines of the dining hall are complemented by the warmth of parallel strand lumber [PSL] roof trusses [5].

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sabMag - FALL 2014

CLIMATE CHANGES. OUR VALUES DON’T.

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sabMag - FALL 2014

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Westmount

Recreation Centre

1 Site plan

E C

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The recreation centre is set below grade to reduce the visual impact of the building. This results in both energy savings through the effect of earth sheltering, and the opportunity to create An additional 0.6 hectares of parkland [1].

Recreation centre goes underground to save energy, create green space

Built in the 1960s, the former Westmount arena and pool were outdated and in need of major renovations. To respond to the present needs of Westmount residents, it was decided that the existing facilities would be demolished to make way for a new complex on the previously developed site, which had the advantage of being close to public transportation and a number of other services, notably a school, church, daycare and supermarket.

By Erik Marosi and Shawn Moscovitch

The new 8,270 m2 Westmount Recreation Centre [WRC] houses two NHLsized ice-rinks with seating for 200, several multi-functional spaces, administrative offices, a youth centre, a café and an outdoor pool with locker rooms. The project is targeting LEED® Gold certification.

Because arenas require little or no natural light, it was decided to set the new WRC below grade, beneath a vast landscaped green roof. The visual impact of the two large ice-rinks and accompanying sports program was thus reduced, opening up views, saving energy and providing 0.6 hectare of additional green space adjacent to the existing Westmount Park. The new green roof design follows the picturesque “English garden” style of the existing park as a seamless extension thereof.

Apart from the main entrance and exit pavilions on the surface of the green roof, this landscape-integrated approach of concealment became a defining feature of the project.

Centrally located between the ice rinks, and adjacent to the parking arrival from Sainte-Catherine Street, the main entrance pavilion is the physical and visual link between the park, sports program and pool levels. A secondary entrance is located off Lansdowne Avenue at pool level with access to the seating area of the ice rinks, visible through the interior curtain wall though located one level below.

Project Credits

The WRC’s design exploits the site’s natural terrain that slopes both from north to south and from east to west. The site was divided into an upper [green

OWNER City of Westmount CLIENT/GENERAL CONTRACTOR Pomerleau ARCHITECT Martin, Marcotte - Beinhaker architects and Marosi + Troy architects in consortium STRUCTURAL/CIVIL ENGINEER/LEED CONSULTANT CIMA+ MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Beaudoin Hurens LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Groupe IBI/DAA PHOTOS Nicolas McComber

roof] garden and a lower [pool level] terrace, creating daylight opportunities on the two exposed façades facing wetland south. While the two rinks are nine metres underground, the youth centre, exercise rooms, administration offices, and changing-rooms are only partially underground with natural light.

Overall, building underground lowers operating costs as less energy is needed for heating, cooling, and maintaining ice: at nine metres depth the temperature is a constant 15°C year round. On the other hand, however, a much stronger structure was required. The below-grade perimeter walls are of 0.8-metre-thick reinforced concrete, with 1.4 metre deep steel beams spanning the 32-metre width of each ice-rink which need to be column free.

Project Performance

The outdoor pools [one competition-standard pool and one wading pool]

- Energy intensity [building and process energy] = 1,124MJ/m2/year

were then strategically located on the lower south terrace with enough room

- Reduction in energy intensity relative to reference building under MNECB = 52% - Potable water consumption from municipal sources = 6,980L/occupant/year - Reduction in potable water consumption relative to reference building = 40% - Demolition materials diverted from landfill = 95% - Regional materials [800km radius] by value = 30.7% - Reclaimed and recycled materials by value = 26.5%

for a transitional visual and acoustical buffer to Sainte-Catherine Street below which consists of a landscaped stormwater retention pond. The stormwater is not only retained on the surface, but also retained underground. The underground storage uses continuous true elliptical arch chambers with no bottoms which allow the stormwater to infiltrate into the ground, thus helping the stormwater management of the site.

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2 materials - Steel and concrete construction with curtain wall, Norman-size red-clay brick cladding and zinc roof.

- Insulation partly supplied by Roxul and Owens Corning.

- Vegetated roof by Hydrotech.

- HVAC consists of heat recovery ventilators, heat pumps, chillers, air-conditioning units and radiant floor heating.

- Waste heat recovered from the ice rink refrigeration system heats the adjacent spaces and incoming fresh air, preheats the domestic hot water, and the outdoor pool throughout the summer.

- LED fixtures used for the rinks.

u u u Watch for the SABMag web-based case study of this project, sponsored by Roxul.

Details to come.

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Floor plan pool level

C

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A Agora B Multi-purpose room C Mechanical D Youth centre E Administration F Locker room G Family locker room H Concession stand I Reception J Pools

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B

B

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F

J J

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WOULD YOU INVEST IN THIS? I propose to build you a new building. Outfit it with the most technologically-advanced energy-saving products in the world.

Then leave all the windows open.

Sound crazy?

It is crazy. But you are doing it right now.

Every building you are invested in today has windows with R-2 to R-4 insulation. That’s like leaving all the windows open.

You can change that with one phone call. Choose windows with ECOGLASS/HM. Get insulating values of R-8 to R-20 and get You’d be REAL energy savings. Just call the number over here

crazy 1-866-331-8235 not to call. sabMag - FALL 2014

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GREEN ROOF COMPOSITION - Vegetation - Growing medium - Geotextile membrane - Drainage panel with extended clay - Filter fabric - Fill insulation as required - 100mm Type A4 insulation [2 layers of 50mm] - Root barrier - Protective membrane - Type 2 roofing membrane with separation sheet - Primer - Concrete slab on sloped structural steel

4 Ice rink refrigeration systems produce a significant amount of waste heat as they operate continuously to freeze the ice. At the WRC, however, this waste heat is recovered and used for heating the adjacent spaces and fresh air [CO2 sensors monitor the air quality inside the building], preheating the domestic hot water as well as heating the outdoor pool throughout the summer. This abundance of recovered heat negates the need for a geothermal system.

The building will not generate greenhouse gases since the elec-

5

tromechanical systems consume no fossil-fuels.

Rather than the more commonly used metal-halide or fluorescent [T5] lighting for rinks, the WRC uses LED fixtures which also significantly contribute to the energy efficiency of the building.

The overall scale and character of the “garden pavilions” draw inspiration from Westmount’s rich heritage of traditional architecture, including that of the exceptional Murray Hill Park pavilions as well as the adjacent Westmount Park pavilion to the north of the new WRC. The style of the new pavilions feature the trademark broad and elegantly proportioned hipped roofs with large protective overhangs and covered porches, appropriate to garden structures.

The new pavilions are clad in a Norman-size red-clay brick [75mm longer than a standard brick] and covered by metallic zinc roofs. Generous curtain wall glazing around the main entrance

6

pavilion allows daylight to penetrate through a central atrium to the heart of the spaces below, including a public agora at the pool level. A glazed garden café and outdoor covered terrace overlook the landscaped roof and the existing park beyond.

The pool area is located on the lower south terrace of the complex, close to Sainte-Catherine Street [2]. The ice rinks are sunk 9m into the ground surrounded by substantial concrete retaining walls. At this depth, ground temperature is a stable 15 C° year round [3]. A glazed atrium enables light to penetrate to the lower levels of the building [4]. View of entrance, with glazed doors to park [5]. Cutaway rendering showing how the building exploits the cross-slope of the site to create a low profile and preserve views of the park from the surrounding neighbourhood [6].

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The final result, following a compressed 18-month construction period, is a bold and innovative solution which optimizes and promotes the best topographical and contextual features of the site and the park while providing Westmount residents with high performance, functional and stimulating communal and sport facilities.  Shawn Moscovitch, OAQ, OAA, PA LEED® O+M is an architect with Martin, Marcotte-Beinhaker Architectes, S.E.N.C. and Erik Marosi is OAQ IRAC AAPPQ, Principal.

AWARDS

ILDING

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CANADIAN GREEN BUILDING AWARDS WINNERS RECOGNIZED AT CAGBC CONFERENCE

BU

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GR E N A E I N D

The 2014 Canadian Green Building Awards winning projects were recognized during the Welcome Reception at the Canada Green Building Council [CaGBC] National Convention in Toronto with the handing out of Awards certificates.

â WWW.SABMAGAZINE.COM Visit the Awards section of our website for complete details on the winning projects.

For details on sponsoring the Canadian Green Building Awards contact dgriffith@sabmagazine.com

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[1] Mountain Equipment Co-op representatives Sean McSweeney [left] and Sandy Tregaus, CFO [centre] receive the Awards certificate for the MEC North Vancouver store on behalf of Proscenium Architects from Brian Hall, Managing Director of sponsor the Canadian Precast Prestressed Concrete Institute [CPCI]. [2] Representatives of Perkins+Will [left to right] Gerrett Lim, Joanna Peacock, Ryan Bragg [Principal], and Kathy Wardle receive the Awards certificate for the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre from Suresh Parmachand, Senior Marketing Manager, of sponsor Uponor.

[3] From left to right, Mauro Carreno of Baird Sampson Neuert Architects [BSN], University of Toronto representatives Steve Miszuk [Director Planning and Infrastructure], and Brent Sleep [Chair of Civil Engineering], and Jon Neuert of BSN receive their Awards certificates for The Goldcorp Mining Innovation Suite of the Lassonde Mining Building, University of Toronto from Nadine Gudz, Director, Sustainability Strategy of sponsor Interface.

[4] Representatives of Perkins+Will [left to right] Ryan Bragg [Principal], Joanna Peacock, Gerrett Lim and Kathy Wardle receive the Awards certificate for the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability from Brian Hall of sponsor the CPCI. [5] Scott Demark [left], partner in BuildGreen Solutions, receives his Awards certificate for the One Planet Reno project from Suresh Parmachand, of sponsor Uponor. [6] From left to right, Mike Williams from RWDI, Birgit Siber, John Featherstone and Cecily Eckhardt from Diamond Schmitt Architects accept their Awards certificates for the CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory from Brian Hall of sponsor the CPCI. [7] Denis Clermont [left] of Les Architectes Labonte Marcil [and accepting for consortium partners Cardinal Hardy, Labonté Marcil and Eric Pelletier Architect], and Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent, accept their Award certificates for Bibliothèque du Boisé from Suresh Parmachand of sponsor Uponor. [8] Mona Lemoine [left] of Hughes Condon Marler receives the Awards certificate for the UNBC Bio-Energy Plant from Nadine Gudz of sponsor Interface. Our thanks to all who participated in the 2014 Awards.

sabMag - FALL 2014

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How can you get more LEED® points with wood?

Acoustics

Construction Waste Management

Durability

Indoor Air Quality

Life Cycle Assessment

Locally Produced Materials

Passive Design and Framing Techniques Recycled Materials

Salvaged Materials

The Architect’s Toolkit is now at your fingertips, visit naturallywood.com/architectstoolkit.

With information on B.C. wood species, case studies and technical details about maximizing LEED® points using wood, the Toolkit is your one-stop resource for British Columbia wood products.

Find everything you need online.

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The BlueShore Financial

ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTRE

Light footprint provides lessons in environmental stewardship

From its 175 hectare rural campus 85km north of Vancouver BC, the North Vancouver Outdoor School [NVOS] has offered environmental education programs on behalf of School District 44 for more than 40 years.

Every elementary student in the district spends at least a few days at the school, wading alongside spawning salmon, identifying and tasting wild berries, tending to farm animals, observing eagles or immersing themselves in a multitude of other outdoor learning experiences.

JIM TAGGART

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2

Raised above the flood plain of the Cheakamus River, the ELC elevates visitors to the level of the forest canopy while creating a sheltered space beneath for outdoor learning activities [1]. The long narrow building was threaded through the existing trees with minimal disturbance to the site [2].

The building sits on a structure of glulam beams and CLT floor panels raised on slender steel 'piloti' [3].

3

Located on the ancestral lands of the Squamish First Nation, adjacent

Completed in 2012, the new Environmental Learning Centre rep-

to the Cheakamus River, the programs offered by NVOS [now known as

resents the first phase in a master plan designed to regenerate the

the Cheakamus Centre] draw on Aboriginal practices of environmental

campus and to remediate the detrimental effects of past interven-

stewardship, and traditional knowledge of the area’s rich ecosystems.

tions that compromised the site’s natural systems. Raised above the

The site is ecologically diverse, including stands of old growth forest,

200 year flood plain, the main floor of the building is tucked into

salmon streams, amphibian ponds and the largest wintering colony of

the trees, offering visitors unexpected close-up views of the forest

bald eagles in North America.

canopy, and a sheltered outdoor classroom area beneath.

O H

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DOWN 23 RISERS

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L N Ground floor plan A Student entry B Mudroom C Stairs to dining/multipurpose area D Washroom E Elevator F Student gathering area G Canoe storage H Mechanical room

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First level floor plan I Fire suppression/greywater reservoir J Outdoor classroom K Amphitheater L Main entry stairs M Stormwater raingarden N Path to coastal Salish Big House [south] O Path to existing accomodation [north]

A Main entry B Reception C Future entry to elevated walkway D Classroom E Lobby F Student gallery G Office H Mechanical room

I Washroom J Elevator K Dining/multipurpose area L Student stairs to lower entry M Kitchen N Mechanical/electrical room O Utility deck

Long building section

Small building section

Project Credits Client School District 44, North Vancouver Architect McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd. Structural Engineer Equilibrium Consulting Inc. Mechanical/Electrical engineer Stantec Landscape Architect Maruyama Associates Civil Engineer Kerr Wood Leidel Associates Energy Consultant EnerSys Analytics LEED Coordination McFarland Marceau Architects Environmental Advisor Cascade Environmental General Contractor D.G.S. Construction Photos Michael Elkin

The combination of wood structural elements, skylights and perimeter glazing create a strong connection to the landscape beyond [4].

4

1 The 80m long building is constructed on a former road bed, minimizing site disturbance, and is oriented north-south to align with the river and the valley itself. This strategy minimizes the potential impact of flooding, by

2

presenting the narrow face of the building to any oncoming floodwaters.

4

The facility includes a welcome area with a nature gallery and exhibition

3

space, a multi-purpose dining hall, a commercial kitchen, administrative offices, washrooms and two multi-purpose learning spaces.

The raised portion of the building is supported on two poured in place concrete pods and perimeter steel columns. At the north end, one con-

Skylight detail

crete pod houses the mechanical room and rainwater storage tank, while toward the south end, the other pod contains the washrooms. The north pod, which would bear the brunt of an oncoming flood, is designed to

1 High-performance skylight 2 Reclaimed Douglas fir timber [on flat]

3 FSC glulam beam 4 FSC glulam drag struts

deflect floating debris.

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1

1 Reclaimed Douglas fir timber [on flat] 2 FSC glulam beam 3 FSC glulam drag struts 4 FSC glulam columns 5 Radiant floor concrete topping 6 CLT solid wood floor assembly 7 Mechanical interstitial space 8 Galvanized steel perimeter channel 9 Insulated marine grade plywood soffit 10 38 x 38 vertical cedar cladding 11 Glazed guard and galvanized steel supports 12 High-performance siding door

3 2

4

12

11 5 6 10 7

8

9 Wall detail

5 6 Project Performance - EnergyEfficiency: The ELC achieved 17 out of a possible 20 LEED credits under Energy and Atmosphere, including a maximum 10 for optimizing energy performance.

- Water Efficiency: The ELC has no municipal water connection and achieved all 5 LEED credits for water efficiency.

- Materials and Resources: The ELC achieved 8 out of a possible 15 LEED credits under Materials and resources, including 1 for recycled materials content, 2 for regional materials content and 2 for the diversion of construction waste.

MATERIALS - Perimeter steel columns on concrete pods support glulam beams and a floor of cross-laminated timber [CLT] panels, with a glulam post and beam superstructure.

- The ceiling is finished with reclaimed Douglas fir.

- Vertical cedar cladding finished with tinted stain.

- Open loop ground source geothermal system constructed of commercially available components: well pump, HDPE pipe between well and building, brazed plate heat exchangers.

- An air handling unit using 100% outdoor air provides ventilation for the building and incorporates a heat wheel for heat recovery between the outdoor and exhaust air streams.

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Ceilings in the main program spaces are made from reclaimed Douglas fir [5]. The building parallels the Cheakamus river, its elongated form designed to minimize the force of potential flood waters [6]. In the evening, the glow from the building is an invitation for visitors to gather for dinner or other social activities [7].

Detail of vertical cedar cladding [8]. Every student in the North Vancouver School district stays at the Cheakamus Centre at some point in their elementary career, engaging in a variety of environmentally focused interpretative programs [9].

7 8

9

The upper level is framed with glulam beams which support a floor of cross

These controls are connected to the building information man-

laminated timber [CLT] panels, and a glulam post and beam superstructure.

agement system that uses real time data collection to respond

The ceiling is finished with reclaimed Douglas fir, and the exterior is clad in

to environmental conditions and occupant load to achieve

vertical cedar slats.

maximum operating efficiency.

The CLT floor is finished with a concrete topping that accommodates a

The potable water supply is drawn from a well on the prop-

radiant heating system. this system is fed by ground water extracted from

erty. Waste heat from other building systems is used to preheat

an aquifer 55m below the site. Heat pumps in the mechanical room extract

the water before it enters the hot water tanks. Rainwater is col-

thermal energy before the water is returned to the ground. During the

lected on the roof, filtered and disinfected before being fed to

cooling season, the process is reversed with excess heat being extracted

a the storage tank. It is then used in the urinals, toilets and fire

from the building.

sprinkler system.

A displacement ventilation system distributes air through floor vents, and

These environmental strategies, as well as other aspects of

an air handling unit located behind the kitchen draws it through the build-

the building, are indicative of an integrated approach to site,

ing. A heat recovery ventilator extracts heat from exhausted air, while the

facilities and systems design that is consistent with the ecolog-

remainder of the air is recirculated. CO2 sensors control how much fresh air is

ical principles of the Centre. Being shaped by the educational

brought into the building based on measured indoor air quality.

philosophy of the school and the unique character of the site,

The lighting system employes fluorescent fixtures controlled by a combination of occupancy and daylight sensors.

the ELC provides a complementary learning experience for visitors, one that speaks eloquently to the synergies between the built and natural environments.

sabMag - FALL 2014

33

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sabMag - FALL 2014

Advancing

with

sustainable design

life cycle assessment

Read this article and take the quiz at: WWW.SABMAGAZINE-EDUCATION.INFO

to receive 1 Core Learning Unit

Take approved SABMag continuing education courses for LEED AP credential maintenance.

In partnership with: www.lunchboxconsulting.ca

LCA 101 Middlesex Centre Wellness and Recreation Complex Photo: Cornerstone Architecture Incorporated

by Jennifer O’Connor Introduction Life cycle thinking in construction is now more important than ever. Architects and engineers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in making buildings better by taking a holistic, long-range view – not just in costs and energy performance, but in environmental impacts as well. At the same time, the sustainability world is moving quickly to jettison “green” product labels in favour of providing consumers with quantified environmental performance data. Together, these trends are motivating adoption of life cycle assessment in the construction sector.

Life cycle assessment [LCA] is a powerful tool to help sustainable design move towards a performance basis. An analytical method for estimating lifetime environmental impacts due to a product or process, LCA can help building designers quantify and validate their sustainability decisions. LCA quantifies the resource consumption and emissions due to constructing, using and disposing of a building, and then estimates the resulting impacts to the environment. LCA can be a useful new skill set and a good match for existing skills in design offices or sustainability consultancies.

Plus, the recent release of LEED v4 with a new three-point credit for LCA and a new 33-point LCA credit in Green Globes are creating an incentive to learn LCA. And it’s easier than it sounds.

LCA is typically a cradle-to-grave quantification of potential environmental impacts of products or services; it is based on natural sciences and considers the entire value chain. LCA has long been used in the industrial sector to understand environmental “hotspots” in products so that improvements can most effectively be made.

Similarly, LCA can help building designers focus their efforts when a reduced footprint is desired. This application is called “whole-building LCA” when the entire building project is considered holistically in a LCA exercise – as opposed to LCA applied to parts of a building, such as only the floor assembly, or when selecting individual products.

Whole-building LCA allows maximum flexibility in trade-offs.

For example, although the addition of more insulation will result in increased material impacts of a building, it will often result in a net life cycle benefit due to reduced operating energy consumption.

In a whole-building LCA, all of the flows between the building and nature are inventoried – that is, the resources consumed and the substances or wastes emitted to air, water and land are calculated for every stage of the building life cycle.

Next, those environmental flows are assessed for their likely consequential impact on the environment. For example, once we know the lifetime consumption of coal-fired electricity for constructing, operating, and disposing of a building, we can then estimate the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to this consumption and the subsequent increase in global warming potential.

It’s important to look at LCA results in the right context and with the right expectations. LCA is a comprehensive assessment process, but it can’t do everything on the sustainability agenda, and it is not intended to do so. Multiple tools are required for that.

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In addition, there are uncertainties inherent in LCA, as with any complex modelling. This is why LCA is a science of best estimates and not a science of absolute measurement. Use LCA to help gauge relative performance across options, which then helps to refine the direction of further decisions.

Value of LCA to a design practice Traditional approaches to sustainable design are limited by incomplete information and a lack of a framework to assess decisions within a consistent, holistic context. By providing a rational and validated basis for decisions, LCA equips sustainable designers with a better toolkit.

Consider this scenario: a designer wants to select the best environmental choice between two competing products.

Product One has high recycled content. Product Two is locally sourced. Which one is better? It’s impossible to say given our limited data set here – all we have is a percent recycled content and a distance travelled, neither of which tells us anything about actual environmental performance. When we are forced to make a guess, there is a good chance that we end up with a greater environmental burden altogether, or the burden is unintentionally shifted to other life cycle stages or impacts of concern.

The alternative is to eliminate the guesswork by reviewing LCA data for both products. This allows objective comparison of quantified environmental performance for various metrics like kg CO2e global warming potential.

While useful in product comparisons, LCA is much more valuable to a designer when applied at the level of the whole building.

Products with a heavy environmental burden can be balanced out by other building elements. In addition, the environmental performance of individual products is properly considered within the context of the whole building – this is an issue of scale.

Traditional sustainability metrics don't provide any indication of the relative scale of impact. Product One might have much lower environmental burdens than Product Two, yet choosing Product One could have a negligible impact on total building performance. If Product Two has other product advantages, it would likely be the better choice, and a designer would look elsewhere for environmental improvements in the building.

LCA is particularly useful for identifying hotspots, in other words, the biggest contributors to the environmental footprint of the building. By focussing attention on the hotspots, we can make meaningful and efficient improvements to the overall building footprint. Contribution analysis will indicate, for example, where in the building, or when in the building’s life cycle, we are most likely to find opportunities for impact reduction.

LCA is critical for understanding the relative impacts of operating energy use and material use [i.e. "embodied" effects] in the total environmental equation of a building. Operating energy is usually seen as a dominant concern since it generally accounts for large shares of impacts such as primary energy use, global warming potential, and acidification potential over the total lifetime of the building. Design strategies that reduce operating energy are therefore often the most effective at reducing those impacts.

Yet, there are several reasons why the embodied impacts of a building should not be ignored. As buildings become more energy efficient and/or use cleaner fuels in operation, materials account for a greater share of the impacts that operating energy use typically dominates. Materials additionally always dominate certain types of impacts such as solid waste generation.

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Resource extraction

Recycling/reuse/disposal

Demolition Manufacturing Life cycle of building products

Occupancy/ maintenance On-site construction

Life cycle of building products: Each stage in the life cycle of products [and the whole building] is assessed for flows to and from nature.

There is also an issue of urgency that only LCA can address. While operating energy consumption takes place slowly over time, architects and engineers make an immediate and significant debit in embodied impact during construction, due to their design choices. Consider that climate change mitigation requires that we drastically reduce emissions today – long term solutions are important too, but reductions have to start right now; in design, that means paying equal attention to embodied environmental impacts.

Four green building programs in North America now have incentives for designers to use LCA to minimize the environmental footprint of new construction. The whole-building LCA provisions in LEED®, Green Globes®, the International Green Construction Code and the California green code ask designers to show that the final design has lower LCA impacts than a “reference” building.

The intention here is that the reference building is an early iteration of the building design; performing LCA during early design creates a performance benchmark to beat, helping inform decisions as they evolve from conceptual design through design development. The green building programs want to reward design decisions that ultimately lead to lower LCA impacts.

Advanced sustainability designers won’t stop with a LEED or Green Globes certification. Transparent and standardized communication of environmental performance metrics is a hot trend in product manufacturing and likely to migrate to building design. Manufacturers are rushing to publish environmental product declarations [EPDs] – think of these as the environmental equivalent of nutrition labelling on food packages.

Environmental performance of buildings should similarly be documented for validation and accountability. The best way to declare the performance of a building is by conducting and publishing wholebuilding LCA data for the building in accordance with the European standard EN 15978, which specifies a standardized methodology and reporting format.

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37

Cumulative building energy consumption

Contribution 100% 90% 80%

Total energy

70%

Operating energy

60% 50% 40% 30%

Embodied energy

20%

Building repair

10% 0%

GHGs Floors

Fossil fuel Walls

Water Roof

Foundation

Smog

Respiratory

Waste

0 0

Time

Partitions

We can look for hotspots in a variety of ways. In this example, six different LCA results are shown with proportional contribution to each one by various building elements. If we are interested in reducing embodied energy of this example building, we will notice that the walls are the biggest contributor to fossil fuel consumption. We can consider reducing the total area of walls, or we can drill deeper into the wall results if we want to explore different wall design and material options.

This graph schematically shows total energy consumed by a building over time. For the first several years, total energy is vastly dominated by embodied energy, that is, the energy used to make the construction materials and erect the building. We need LCA to understand this initial hit to the building’s environmental footprint.

There’s no such thing as a zero-carbon building, unless we ignore the inconvenient embodied carbon.

How to bring LCA into design LCA is a complex science typically practised by experts. In order to make LCA accessible for architects and engineers, the Athena Institute developed a simplified LCA software tool specifically for them. The Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings [IE4B] was first released in 2002 and has been continuously updated. All of Athena’s software and resources are provided free of charge.

The Impact Estimator has the complex life cycle databases and methodology in the background, meaning the user need only address inputs about the physical nature of the building. A bill of materials can be imported from any CAD program, or users can alternatively let the IE4B calculate building material volumes based on general geometry and loading parameters.

Although the IE4B doesn’t include an operating energy simulation capability, it does allow users to enter the results of a simulation in order to compute the fuel cycle burdens, including pre-combustion effects, and factor them into the overall results.

Accommodating multiple comparisons at once, the IE4B allows users to change the design, substitute materials, and make sideby-side comparisons for any one or all of the environmental impact indicators. It also lets users compare similar projects with different floor areas on a unit floor area basis.

For those seeking to earn whole-building LCA credits in green buildings programs such as LEED and Green Globes, the Athena Institute recently published a document to make it easier: the Athena Guide to Whole-building LCA in Green Building Programs is available on our website. This guideline demystifies the credit requirements and provides help in achieving compliance using the IE4B, with extensive advice on how to approach the reference building.

The Centennial Garage in Edmonton is a good example of LCA in the design process. Completed in April 2010, this massive building houses 250 buses and office space. As prime consultant, Morrison

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sabMag - FALL 2014

Centennial Garage

Hershfield led a team targeting LEED silver and pursuing several different sustainability strategies. The IE4B software was used to explore several different approaches to structural design. The LCA results allowed the design team to bring environmental information into the equation as one of many sets of metrics used to decide on the final design.

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sabMag - FALL 2014

39

athena impact estimator for buildings Summary measures results - Fossil fuel use - Global warming - Acidification - Human health particulate - Eutrophication - Ozone depletion - Smog

TRACI v2.1 database - LCIA methodology characterization factors

Absolute results [LCI] - Energy consumption - Resource use - Air emissions - Water emissions - Land emissions

Building information - Location - Life expectancy - Occupancy type - Floor area - Height Op. Energy information - Annual operating energy from simulation or measurement

Assembly information - Geometry - Assembly/material choice - Loading

Material information - Material takeoffs

Reports dialog - Report type - Results typ

Assembly input dialogs - Foundations - Columns and beams - Floors - Roof - Walls

Extra basic materials input dialog

More information on LCA and additional resources: The Athena Institute [www.athenasmi.org] is a non-profit consultancy and think tank in life cycle assessment [LCA] for the built environment. The North American pioneer and only specialist in construction-sector LCA, the Athena Institute works with sustainability leaders in product manufacturing, building design, construction, and green rating programs to enable smaller footprints in the production and consumption of materials, buildings and infrastructure.

sabMag - FALL 2014

Scenario databases - Product service life - Transportation - Construction waste - Construction energy - Demolition energy - End of life outcome

Add/Modify project dialog

Another project using LCA to include environmental data in design parameters is the Middlesex Centre Wellness and Recreation Complex in Komoka, Ontario. The London, Ontario firm Cornerstone Architecture achieved four Green Globes for this multi-use building, completed in 2011 and designed with a total life cycle approach to selection of materials and systems. The team used the Athena EcoCalculator to compare alternatives and to rationalize decisions with their client. They were able to quantify their environmental savings due to their decisions on roofing and cladding systems, and interior finishes..

40

Back end

Bill of materials - Life cycle structure and enclosure material use

Front end

user input

Athena LCI database process LCI data for: - Building products - Energy - Transportation

more on this article is found at:

www.sabmagazine-education.info Also informaion on the following: • The LEEDv4 LCA credit [option 4 of the MR credit “Building life-cycle impact reduction”] • The Green Globes LCA provisions [Section 3.5.1.1: materials and resources - core and shell - performance path criteria] • Free download of the Impact Estimator for Buildings software plus user manuals [including the Athena Guide to Whole-building LCA in Green Building Programs], video tutorials and FAQs: http:// calculatelca.com  Jennifer O’Connor is President of the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute. Matt Bowick is a Senior Research Associate at the Athena Sustainable Materials Institute and Director of Construction Services at Coldstream Consulting.

sabMag - FALL 2014

41

The occupant factor in low-energy building design

Inside the National Renewable Energy Laboratory [NREL] Research Support Facility. The upper portions of the south-facing windows are equipped with fixed louvres that reflect incident sunlight on to the ceiling, thus enabling much deeper daylight penetration without the need for occupant intervention or glare protection. Photo: YuXiang Chen [1].

1

Occupants’ impact on building energy use continues to increase as building components and systems become more efficient.

This source of uncertainty extends well beyond lights and plug loads, often including heating and cooling.

By Liam O’Brien

For instance, a recent Danish study [1] of five identically-built homes showed that heating energy use varied by as much as 365% - from 4,000 to 14,600 kWh/year – as a result of seemingly subtle thermostat and operable window use habits. Surprisingly, the homeowners who thought they were making the greatest effort to conserve energy were in fact middle of the pack, energy-wise.

42

sabMag - FALL 2014

EcoTerra near net-zero energy house: exterior showing large south-facing windows and fixed shading [bottom], and interior with the yet-to-becarpeted thermally-massive floors [top].

Photo: CMHC [2].

2

EcoTerra House The interviewed homeowners expressed concerns

EcoTerra, a near net-zero energy house in Eastman, Quebec, is an excellent

for lack of controllability of temperatures, odour from

example of how occupant discomfort can cause an increase in energy use rela-

smoking and cooking, and health concerns about

tive to design intent. This prefabricated solar house with a forced-air heating

indoor air quality. One of the households stated that

system supplied by a ground-source heat pump, has large south-facing windows

they let in cold air on a daily basis because cold air

and a thermally-massive, slate-covered floor in the living room.

heats up more quickly than warm air, suggesting some lack of knowledge of building physics.

Among the more interesting occupant adaptations of the house, the owners laid a thick shag carpet on much of the thermally massive floor, thus significantly

Underperforming low- and net-zero energy build-

reducing its effectiveness to moderate temperature swings from the passive

ings have often been blamed on occupants’ so-called

solar gains. This is likely because of the cold sensation caused by the highly-

illogical actions that have seemingly little regard for

conductive floor.

energy conservation. However, when one examines

ASHRAE recommends that concrete floors that are likely to be stood on by

the root of unexpectedly high energy use it often

occupants with bare feet should be maintained at 26.5 to 29°C – a level that

originates from real or perceived discomfort – ther-

would be very energy-intensive to achieve using forced-air heating. This issue

mal, visual, and/or acoustic - and indoor air quality.

may have been remedied by radiant floor heating or using a less conductive floor

Unfortunately, comfort provision is often estab-

material with a more reflective finish to reflect incident solar radiation onto other

lished towards the end of the building design process

thermally massive surfaces – though these changes would require integration

after most decisions have already been finalized.

with other house elements.

Therefore, building add-ons like blinds, controls, and

Similarly, the lack of daylight from minimal north-facing windows prompted

HVAC are relied on instead of building form and enve-

the occupants to install about a dozen low-efficiency light fixtures. Finally, the

lopes. While comfort is complex and research is still

owners installed a 5-kilowatt electric-resistance heater on the ceiling of the unin-

evolving, it deserves to be quantified in greater detail

sulated garage because they wanted to use it as a workshop - not merely to park

than mere air temperature and workplane illumi-

a car. This addition in the small single-car garage was on track to use about 25%

nance [e.g., by incorporating all aspects of ASHRAE

of the energy to heat the whole house!

Standard 55 – “Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy”].

While EcoTerra’s owners happily agreed to modify their behaviour after the design/research team studied the building for several years and informed them

Building performance simulation can be used to

of their effects, we cannot expect all buildings to receive such scrutiny from mul-

evaluate how different design concepts affect overall

tiple graduate students and professors! The house now uses just a fraction of the

and localized discomfort. Many forms of discomfort

energy of conventional homes and saw a significant drop in energy use after the

are subtler than those specified by building stan-

occupants reversed some of their most energy-intensive behaviours.

dards and codes. For instance, Figure 3 shows how photography [or alternatively a detailed daylight simulation] enables quantification of the likelihood of daylight glare and even identifies small but acute causes of discomfort, like reflective window frames.

2

Even momentary discomfort can trigger occupants to react or over-react in energy-intensive ways.

This article explores the question: how can [and should] building designers mitigate the uncertainty of occupant behaviour by improving indoor environmental quality through design? Looking at the Eco Terra House, a near net-zero energy house built a few years ago, shows how occupant behaviour can change building performance.

sabMag - FALL 2014

43

Design tips for superior occupant comfort and low energy use 1. Consider and evaluate the four elements of indoor environmental quality – thermal, visual, acoustic comfort, and indoor air quality - from the beginning of the design process.

2. Don’t ignore minor causes of discomfort. Even momentary glare, drafts, or annoying noises can cause occupants to act [e.g., close window blinds], only to leave the systems in the new state for days or longer, thus possibly failing to exploit daylight, views, natural ventilation, etc.

3. Use the acoustic ABCs [absorb, block, and cover] to mitigate poor building acoustics.

4. Emphasize effective passive building elements to minimize the occurrence of discomfort. Fixed elements – building aspect ratio, window size, type, position, and orientation, and shading surfaces [e.g., Figure 1] – can alleviate discomfort with less need for complex dynamic systems or occupant intervention.

3

5. Encourage occupant use of “passive systems” by making it easier to exploit daylight and natural ventilation rather than electrical/mechanical systems.

6. Provide easy-to-use adaptive comfort measures [e.g., operable windows, functioning thermostats, dimmable lights, ceiling fans, and window blinds] that facilitate individualized control. This

Daylight glare analysis for a shared office space: false colour image of high dynamic range (HDR) photograph (left) and glare analysis performed with Evalglare software, where the coloured regions indicate sources of daylight glare (right). This analysis could be performed during design using daylight simulation engines like RADIANCE. Photo: Brent Huchuk [3].

not only improves physiological comfort, but perception of control can also translate to a greater sense of comfort and satisfaction.

7. Use a well-insulated envelope with high-performance windows to ensure less extreme interior surface temperatures.

The operative temperature – that which affects both radiant and convective heat exchange between occupants and their surroundings – is approximately equal to the average of the air temperature and mean radiant temperature.

8. Consider interior design and function. Providing flexible design spaces that allow occupants to shift their position and orientation, can considerably improve comfort.

9. Provide simple interfaces. Occupants should not be expected to decipher complex control panels to perform basic operations like turning on a light.

10. Increase occupant ownership over energy costs. Occupants readily adapt their behaviour if they become responsible for covering energy costs of a building.

4

11. Where billing occupants for energy use is not an option [e.g., the workplace], we can still play to the competitive nature of people. It’s been shown that merely informing people of their neighbour’s energy use relative to their own can shave a few per-

One solution to a poorly positioned occupancy sensor that failed to detect occupant presence during computer work: Drinking Bird™.

Photo: Adam Wills [4].

cent off total energy use.

12. Provide building performance dashboards; but only if they report real-time high-resolution energy statistics with individual occupant impacts.

Liam O’Brien, PhD, is an assistant professor at Carleton

With growing emphasis on meeting ambitious energy targets, it’s easy to forget about indoor environmental quality.

The bottom line is that neglecting to design a comfortable and usable building is a sure way to miss energy targets. 

44

sabMag - FALL 2014

University in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Prof. O’Brien and his graduate students are conducting research on building performance, with specialties in simulation, passive solar design, daylighting, comfort, controls, and occupant behaviour.

THANK YOU Building Lasting Change 2014 Sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR:

sabMag - FALL 2014

45

Jack Laken President of Termobuild Canada [www.termobuild.com,] in Toronto, engineer Jack Laken [jlaken@termobuild.com] has long been a missionary of passive heating and cooling of buildings. The question is: How well are we listening?

3. How does it work?

1. You describe Termobuild as the “Specialists in Thermal Mass and Energy Storage”. What does that mean?

Termobuild’s method seamlessly ties into building blueprints

in the preconstruction

We bridge the gap that exists in the

phase. By integrating our system with the

market for energy saving with both preci-

building fabric we transform dormant con-

sion engineering and advanced systems

crete floors into powerful energy storage

management controls designed to capture,

batteries. Our intelligent energy manage-

store and release free and abundant natural

ment system balances the supply of energy

heating and cooling energy upon demand.

while relying on significantly smaller HVAC

The process whereby energy is harvested

equipment. The system’s added resilience to

and saved for future use is based on the

climate change and its built-in passive surviv-

scientific principle of thermal mass.

al elements ensures its reliability in extreme

Some refer to energy storage as the Holy

weather conditions and power failures.

Termobuild fits seamlessly into the building fabric.

Grail of construction. Using energy storage

The activation of dormant hollow-core con-

takes full advantage of both financial and

crete slabs is actually a very simple process

5. There is more interest in passive design

energy efficiency. Most jurisdictions offer

once it has been strategically designed and

and the use of free heating and cooling. Can

off-peak energy pricing to help customers

implemented. The system will basically run

Termobuild take advantage of this?

save money.

itself with little to no intervention required.

Of course passive design and free heating and cooling are attractive features for any

4. Can you use the system in all types of

2.Has this system got a track record?

We have many installations that usu-

buildings?

building. Our solution provides all of these advantages while elevating the benefits to

ally deliver top performance compared to

Our system has been successfully applied

another level – with ventilation at the epicen-

a portfolio of buildings. In the category of

in a variety of educational, medical, office

ter of our system, fresh air is constantly being

educational facilities one of our school proj-

and even custom residential projects. It is

introduced into buildings to provide a clean

ects was rated #1 in a survey of the 500 best

extremely well suited for high occupancy

and healthier indoor environment.

energy performers.

facilities such as nursing homes, retirement

Thermal energy storage reduces or elimi-

communities and large-scale retail stores

nates the need for conventionally larger and

such Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart or Ikea.

bulkier equipment. In addition, concrete floors do not have any moving parts so applying hollow-core floors as integrated radiant heating/cooling panels and energy storage batteries does not require any maintenance other than conventional duct cleaning. The result is a capital savings on equipment plus long-term

FLOOR/CEILING ASSEMBLY at the centre for engineering innovation, university of windsor. COURTESY B+H ARCHITECTS.

operating and maintenance costs.

6. How has the market received it?

The system has been widely applied in Ontario at universities, colleges, schools, medical facilities and office buildings. Currently there is much buzz about our system in the

Precast hollow core planks

U.S. and we are primed for expansion in 2015.

Air diffuser ventilates air into room Supply air distributed throught hollow cores Supply trunk duct 46

sabMag - FALL 2014

EnvironmEntal Product dEclaration

EPD PrEcast concrEtE

In accordance with ISO 14025

Place de l’Escarpement, Quebec City, QC – LEED Gold Certified Architect: Pierre Martin Architecte

EPDs are third party verified (certified) reports published by product manufacturers that provide quality assured and comparable information regarding environmental performance of their products or system.

The CaGBC LEED v4 Rating System and Architecture 2030 are emphasizing the demand for EPDs, by addressing transparency in environmental lifecycle impacts and the selection of building products with improved lifecycles.

North American Precast Concrete associations are working together with ASTM International and Athena Sustainable Materials Institute to achieve a third party- verified EPD; providing comprehensive, uniform, and transparent details about a product’s composition and environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. Available in the fall of 2014.

ask insightful questions before making decisions. Expect transparency.

For your free copies of the Life Cycle Assessment of Precast Concrete and the CPCI Sustainable Plant Program contact CPCI at: info@cpci.ca or (877) 937-2724 or visit www.cpci.ca/publications.

196 Bronson Avenue, Suite 100 Ottawa, ON K1R6H4 sabMag - FALL 2014

47

creating better environments

the

perfect floor covering for today’s world

www.forboflooringNA.com/marmoleum 1-800-268-8108 | info.na@forbo.com

Although Marmoleum was invented 150 years ago, it perfectly addresses the needs of today’s indoor and outdoor environments.

Made from renewable ingredients, Marmoleum is 100% biobased and features naturally inherent antimicrobial and anti-static properties. Marmoleum’ s breathtaking new color palette pushes the boundaries of traditional design, and its improved Topshield 2 finish provides exceptional performance, superior durability, and the lowest cost of any resilient flooring.

the next generation of

beautiful. durable. sustainable. hygienic. with 48

sabMag - FALL 2014